IMMIGRATION  REGULATIONS 


THE  ISLAND  OF  PORTO  RICO 


WAR    DEPARTMENT. 

Division  of  Customs  and  Insular  Affairs, 

June  7,  1899. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING   OFFICE. 
1899. 


PEOMULGATII^G  ORDEE. 


War  Department, 

Washington,  June  6,  1899. 
In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Circular  No.  13,  Division  of 
Customs  and  Insular  Affairs,  dated  April  14, 1899,  the  following  Immi- 
gration Eegulations  as  applied  to  the  Island  of  Porto  Eico  are  hereby 
published  for  the  information  and  guidance  of  all  concerned. 

G.  D.  Meiklbjohn, 

Acting  Secretary  of  War. 
3 


■%-^^Tr^ 


'     IMMIGRATION  REGULATIONS  FOR  THE  ISLAND 
OF  PORTO  RICO. 


War  Department, 

Washington,  June  6,  1899. 

Article  I. 

Collectors  of  Customs  will  collect  a  duty  of  one  dollar  for  each  and 
every  passenger  wlio  shall  come  by  steam  or  sail  vessel  from  any 
foreign  port  to  any  port  of  Porto  Rico,  except  citizens  of  the  United 
States  and  residents  or  natives  of  said  Island  of  Porto  Eico. 

Article  II. 

All  such  moneys  collected  must  be  deposited  and  accounted  for  as 
prescribed  for  customs  collections  in  the  Customs  Regulations  for  Ports 
in  Porto  Rico. 

Article  III. 

Collectors  of  Customs  are  charged,  within  their  respective  districts, 
with  the  execution  of  the  laws  pertaining  to  immigration,  and  all 
importation  of  laborers  under  contract  or  agreement  to  perform  labor 
in  Porto  Rico.  They  will  employ  all  customs,  immigration,  and  other 
ofllcers  assigned  to  them  for  duty  in  the  enforcement  of  the  immigra- 
tion acts;  and  all  such  officers  are  hereby  designated  and  authorized 
to  act  as  immigration  officers. 

Article  IV. 

Whenever  it  shall  be  necessary,  in  making  the  examination  of  immi- 
grants, to  temporarily  remove  them  from  the  vessel  upon  which  they 
arrived  to  a  desirable  place  provided  for  the  examination,  such  immi- 
grants shall  not  be  regarded  as  landed  so  long  as  they  are  undergoing 
the  examination  and  are  in  charge  of  the  officers  whose  duty  it  is  to 
make  such  examination  5  and  such  removal  shall  not  be  considered  a 
landing  during  the  pendency  of  any  question  relating  to  such  exami- 
nation, or  while  awaiting  their  return  as  provided  by  law. 


Article  V. 

The  Collectors  of  Customs  shall  enter  of  record  the  name  of  every 
immigrant  found  upon  examination  to  be  within  either  of  the  pro- 
hibited classes,  with  a  statement  of  the  decision  in  each  case,  and  at 
the  same  time  give  notice  in  writing  to  the  master,  agent,  consignee  or 
owner  of  the  vessel  upon  which  said  immigrant  arrived,  together  with 
the  grounds  of  refusal  to  land  such  immigrant,  that  said  vessel  is 
required  to  return  such  immigrant  to  the  port  whence  he  came. 

Article  VI. 

The  regular  examination  of  immigrants  under  the  special  inquiry 
required  by  these  regulations  will  be  separate  from  the  public,  but  any 
immigrant  who  is  refused  permission  to  land,  or  pending  an  appeal  in 
his  case,  will  be  permitted  to  confer  with  friends  or  counsel  in  such 
manner  as  the  Collector  of  Customs  may  deem  proper. 

Article  VII. 

Any  immigrant  claiming  to  be  aggrieved  by  the  decision  of  the  in- 
spection officers  may  appeal  therefrom,  and  such  appeal  shall  stay  his 
deportation  until  decision  be  had  thereon.  Such  appeal  shall  be  in 
writing  and  shall  specify  the  grounds  of  appeal,  and  shall  be  presented 
to  the  Collector  of  Customs,  who  shall  at  once  forward  such  appeal  to 
the  Collector  of  Customs  for  the  Island,  with  all  the  evidence  in  the 
case  and  his  views  thereon. 

Any  Inspector  dissenting  from  a  decision  to  admit  an  immigrant  may 
appeal  therefrom,  which  appeal  shall  be  in  writing  and  specify  the 
grounds  thereof,  and  shall  be  forwarded  by  the  Collector  of  Customs  to 
the  Collector  of  Customs  for  the  Island  in  like  manner  as  in  cases  of  an 
appeal  by  an  immigrant. 

Article  VIII. 

Upon  a  decision  of  the  appeal  the  immigrant  shall  be  at  once  landed 
or  deported  in  accordance  with  such  decision,  and,  in  case  landing  is 
refused,  the  master,  agent,  consignee,  or  owner  of  the  vessel  by  which 
the  immigrant  arrived  shall  be  notified  of  such  decision  by  the  Col- 
lector of  Customs,  and  that  the  immigrant  will  be  placed  on  board  said 
vessel,  to  be  returned,  as  aforesaid. 

Article  IX. 

The  expenses  for  keeping  and  maintenance  of  such  immigrants  as 
are  ordered  to  be  returned  pending  the  decision  of  their  right  to  land, 
and  the  subsequent  expenses  for  the  keeping  and  maintenance  of  those 
ordered  to  be  returned,  and  the  expense  of  their  return,  shall  be  borne 
by  the  owner  or  owners  of  the  vessel  on  which  they  came. 


Article  X. 

At  least  twenty-four  hours  before  the  sailing  of  the  vessel  upon 
which  the  immigrants  are  ordered  to  be  returned,  the  master,  agent, 
consignee,  or  owner  of  such  vessel  shall  notify  the  Collector  of  Cus- 
toms of  the  proposed  hour  of  sailing,  who  shall,  immediately  preceding 
the  sailing,  place  on  board  all  immigrants  to  be  returned  by  said  ves- 
sel as  aforesaid,  and  in  case  any  master,  agent,  consignee,  or  owner 
of  such  vessel  shall  refuse  to  receive  such  immigrants  on  board,  or  shall 
neglect  to  retain  them  thereon,  or  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  return 
them  to  the  port  from  which  they  came,  or  to  pay  the  cost  of  their 
maintenance  while  on  land,  such  master,  agent,  consignee,  or  owner 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  shall  be  punished  by  a 
fine  of  not  less  than  $300  for  each  and  every  offense,  and  any  such 
vessel  shall  not  have  clearance  from  any  port  of  Porto  Eico  while  any 
such  fine  is  unpaid. 

Article  XI. 

No  vessel  bringing  immigrants  in  the  steerage,  or  in  apartments 
other  than  the  first  and  second  cabins,  from  ports  where  contagious  or 
infectious  diseases  are  prevailing,  shall  be  admitted  to  entry  unless  it 
appear  by  the  certificate  of  the  consular  officer  at  sueh  port  that  the 
said  immigrants  have  been  detained  at  the  port  of  embarkation  at 
least  five  days  under  special  medical  observation  in  specially  designated 
barracks  or  houses  set  apart  for  their  exclusive  use,  and  that  their 
clothing,  baggage,  and  personal  effects  have  been  disinfected  before 
being  placed  on  board  by  one  of  the  following  methods : 

(1)  Boiling  in  water  not  less  than  thirty  minutes. 

(2)  Exposure  to  steam  not  less  than  thirty  minutes,  the  steam  to  be 
of  a  temperature  not  less  than  100°  C.  (212°  F.),  nor  greater  than  115^ 
C.  (239°  F.),  and  unmixed  with  air. 

(3)  Solution  of  carbolic  acid  of  a  2  per  cent  strength.  This  method 
(1^0. 3)  may  be  applied  only  to  leather  goods,  such  as  trunks,  satchels, 
boots,  shoes;  to  rubber  goods,  etc.,  the  articles  to  be  saturated  with 
the  solution, 

(4)  Articles  that  would  be  destroyed  or  injured  when  subjected  to 
any  of  the  above  methods  may  be  disinfected  by  immersion  in  a 
solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury,  1  part  in  2,000,  until  all  parts  are 
thoroughly  saturated,  due  precaution  being  taken  against  mercurial 
poisoning. 

The  above  restrictions  will  also  be  applied  to  vessels  bringing  immi- 
grants from  noninfected  ports  but  who  come  from  infected  localities. 

Article  XII. 

There  shall  be  delivered  to  the  Collector  of  Customs  at  the  port  of 
arrival,  by  the  master  or  commanding  officer  of  the  vessel,  lists  or 


manifests,  made  at  the  time  and  place  of  embarkation  of  such  immi- 
grants, which  shall,  in  answer  to  questions  at  the  top  of  said  lists  or 
manifests,  state  as  to  each  of  said  passengers: 

(1)  Full  name. 

(2)  Age. 

(3)  Sex. 

(4)  Whether  married  or  single. 

(5)  Galling  or  occupation. 

(6)  Whether  able  to  read  or  write. 

(7)  Nationality. 

(8)  Last  residence. 

(9)  Seaport  for  landing  in  Porto  Rico. 

(10)  Final  destination  in  Porto  Eico. 

(11)  Whether  having  a  ticket  through  to  such  final  destination. 

(12)  Whether  the  immigrant  has  paid  his  own  passage  or  whether  it 
has  been  paid  by  other  persons,  or  by  any  corporation,  society,  munici- 
pality, or  government. 

(13)  Whether  in  possession  of  money,  and  if  so,  whether  upward  of 
130,  and  how  much,  if  $30  or  less. 

(14)  Whether  going  to  join  a  relative,  and  if  so,  what  relative,  and 

(15)  Whether  ever  before  in  Porto  Rico,  and  if  so,  when  and  where, 
his  name  and  address. 

(16)  Whether  ever  in  prison,  or  almshouse,  or  supported  by  charity. 

(17)  Whether  a  i>olygami8t. 

(18)  Whether  under  a  contract,  expressed  or  implied,  to  perform 
labor  in  Porto  Rico.  ' 

(19)  The  immigrant's  condition  of  health,  mentally  and  physically, 
and  whether  deformed  or  crippled,  and  if  so,  from  what  cause. 

Article  XIII. 

Said  immigrants  shall  be  listed  in  convenient  groups  and  no  one  list 
or  manifest  shall  contain  more  than  thirty  names.  There  shall  be 
delivered  to  each  immigrant  or  head  of  a  family,  prior  to  or  at  the  time 
of  embarkation  or  at  some  convenient  time  on  the  voyage  before  arrival, 
as  may  be  found  most  convenient,  a  ticket  on  which  shall  be  written 
his  name  and  a  number  or  letter,  designating  the  list  and  his  number 
on  the  list,  for  convenience  of  identification  on  arrival.  Each  list  or 
manifest  shall  be  verified  by  the  signature  and  the  oath  or  affirmation 
of  the  master  or  commanding  officer,  or  of  the  officer,  first  or  second, 
below  him  in  command,  and  of  the  surgeon  of  said  vessel  or  other 
medical  officer,  as  provided  in  sections  2  and  3  of  the  Act  of  March  3, 
1893,  United  States  Statutes ;  therefore  the  above  affidavits  must  be 
attached  to  each  list  or  manifest,  which  lists  or  manifests  must  be  kept 
separate  and  not  fastened  together. 


9 

In  case  tliere  is  a  surgeon  sailing  with  the  vessel,  that  officer  must 
sign  and  verify  each  list  or  manifest,  and  the  verification  by  another 
surgeon  will  not  be  in  compliance  with  the  law. 

All  forms  of  lists  or  manifests  and  affidavits  sent  out  by  authority  of 
this  Department  are  suggestive  merely,  and  will  not  relieve  any  person 
from  the  necessity  of  complying  strictly  with  all  the  provisions  of  said 
Act  of  March  3,  1893. 

Article  XIV. 

In  case  of  the  failure  of  said  master  or  commanding  officer  of  said 
vessel  to  deliver  to  the  said  Collector  of  Customs  lists  or  manifests, 
verified  as  aforesaid,  containing  the  information  above  required  as  to 
all  immigrants  on  board,  there  shall  be  paid  to  the  Collector  of  Cus- 
toms at  the  port  of  arrival  the  sum  of  $10  for  each  immigrant  qualified 
to  enter  Porto  Rico,  concerning  whom  the  above  information  is  not 
contained  in  any  list,  as  aforesaid,  or  said  immigrant  shall  not  be  per- 
mitted so  to  enter  Porto  Rico,  but  shall  be  returned  like  other  excluded 

persons. 

G.  D.  Meiklejohn, 

Acting  Secretary  of  War. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  042838596 


